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[long] Re: Italian earthquake

Dear Aldo, and group, I have some small knowledge of what happens when your community has been hard hit by natural disasters. We lived in New Mexico during

Message 1 of 4
, Apr 14, 2009

Dear Aldo, and group,
I have some small knowledge of what happens when your community has been hard hit by natural disasters. We lived in New Mexico during the horrible forest fire season of 2000, and my daughter was in graduate school in New Orleans when hurricane Katrina hit in 2005... we are thankful that none of our own family or close friends died. That being said, I know that the loss of shelter and everything that was familiar in one's life will be an overwhelming reality for the survivors for years to come.

When we were evacuated from our home in 2000, the Red Cross and the Salvation Army were both there at the refugee centers to offer assistance. They provided clothing in the first week for evacuees, and activities for the little children, and when we were able to go home again they provided cleaning supplies and bottled water. I can't tell you how much we appreciated those last two items! But one thing we learned from talking to the volunteers is that what they needed most was donations of cash, and volunteer time. They received donations of used clothing from all over the U.S.--in fact, they had so much they had to ask people to stop giving because they didn't have enough volunteers to process it all--but there was never enough money to help people who had lost everything and had no other resources.

So now that it's been a week and the earthquake survivors are no longer on the nightly news in North America, what can you do to help? Remember that the disaster is still happening for some people. I suggest giving any sum you can afford to the Red Cross or similar organization because they *will* need it to help ease the physical needs of the living. As for the spiritual needs--and these last much longer--please make what prayers you care to, in your own fashion, but consider also what you could do to help someone in need in your own sphere. Compassion has no geographical limits. Is there a soup kitchen in your town? A community garden that needs volunteers? A nursing home where residents would love to have someone come play bingo or cards in the afternoon? Those are things you can do to ease your own heartache when it feels like there's no way to help the disaster victims you see on tv. Nine years ago, we couldn't re-build our neighbors burned-out homes... but we could help feed the extra firefighters who came from all over to help us, and later we worked on reseeding projects in the national forest. And in 2005, a lot of the volunteers who headed down to New Orleans were there because they'd been through floods in the Midwest and knew what it felt like to watch the water rise inside your home. So if you can't go to Italy, find a way to make a difference nearby.

End of lecture. :-) If you've read this far, thanks for listening!
Susanna

--- In sig@yahoogroups.com, "aldo" <turanomar@...> wrote:
>
> Tks for your heartily reply but actually neither I nor anybody else (left Red Cross alone) could do anything concrete WITH MONEY. My message was aiming at moving your feelings and this is your great thing which I appreciated very much and that I will transmit to my friends in Abruzzo.
> Ciao
>
> Aldo
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Su Ralston
> To: sig@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Friday, April 10, 2009 4:18 PM
> Subject: [sig] Italian earthquake
>
>
>
>
>
> Aldo wrote:
> <snipped>What could I do for them who are now just staring at the ruins of
> their homes? All recollections and in part also some of their relatives are
> maybe hiding out under the stones and will never come back.
>
> Aldo -
> Our thoughts are with you during your time of loss and rebuilding. Please
> let us know if there is anything specific we can do to help... perhaps
> donations to the Red Cross?
>
> Su of the Silver Horn, Caid
> Su Ralston, Fullerton, CA
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

aldo

wHAT CAN i SAY! tHANK U VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORDS ALTOGETHER! I have transfered ur story and the whole text in my wall of FACEBOOK and also turned it to the

Message 2 of 4
, Apr 15, 2009

wHAT CAN i SAY! tHANK U VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORDS ALTOGETHER!
I have transfered ur story and the whole text in my wall of FACEBOOK and also turned it to the volunteers that are working there. They will follow it up. Thanks again.

Dear Aldo, and group,
I have some small knowledge of what happens when your community has been hard hit by natural disasters. We lived in New Mexico during the horrible forest fire season of 2000, and my daughter was in graduate school in New Orleans when hurricane Katrina hit in 2005... we are thankful that none of our own family or close friends died. That being said, I know that the loss of shelter and everything that was familiar in one's life will be an overwhelming reality for the survivors for years to come.

When we were evacuated from our home in 2000, the Red Cross and the Salvation Army were both there at the refugee centers to offer assistance. They provided clothing in the first week for evacuees, and activities for the little children, and when we were able to go home again they provided cleaning supplies and bottled water. I can't tell you how much we appreciated those last two items! But one thing we learned from talking to the volunteers is that what they needed most was donations of cash, and volunteer time. They received donations of used clothing from all over the U.S.--in fact, they had so much they had to ask people to stop giving because they didn't have enough volunteers to process it all--but there was never enough money to help people who had lost everything and had no other resources.

So now that it's been a week and the earthquake survivors are no longer on the nightly news in North America, what can you do to help? Remember that the disaster is still happening for some people. I suggest giving any sum you can afford to the Red Cross or similar organization because they *will* need it to help ease the physical needs of the living. As for the spiritual needs--and these last much longer--please make what prayers you care to, in your own fashion, but consider also what you could do to help someone in need in your own sphere. Compassion has no geographical limits. Is there a soup kitchen in your town? A community garden that needs volunteers? A nursing home where residents would love to have someone come play bingo or cards in the afternoon? Those are things you can do to ease your own heartache when it feels like there's no way to help the disaster victims you see on tv. Nine years ago, we couldn't re-build our neighbors burned-out homes... but we could hel p feed the extra firefighters who came from all over to help us, and later we worked on reseeding projects in the national forest. And in 2005, a lot of the volunteers who headed down to New Orleans were there because they'd been through floods in the Midwest and knew what it felt like to watch the water rise inside your home. So if you can't go to Italy, find a way to make a difference nearby.

End of lecture. :-) If you've read this far, thanks for listening!
Susanna

--- In sig@yahoogroups.com, "aldo" <turanomar@...> wrote:
>
> Tks for your heartily reply but actually neither I nor anybody else (left Red Cross alone) could do anything concrete WITH MONEY. My message was aiming at moving your feelings and this is your great thing which I appreciated very much and that I will transmit to my friends in Abruzzo.
> Ciao
>
> Aldo
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Su Ralston
> To: sig@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Friday, April 10, 2009 4:18 PM
> Subject: [sig] Italian earthquake
>
>
>
>
>
> Aldo wrote:
> <snipped>What could I do for them who are now just staring at the ruins of
> their homes? All recollections and in part also some of their relatives are
> maybe hiding out under the stones and will never come back.
>
> Aldo -
> Our thoughts are with you during your time of loss and rebuilding. Please
> let us know if there is anything specific we can do to help... perhaps
> donations to the Red Cross?
>
> Su of the Silver Horn, Caid
> Su Ralston, Fullerton, CA
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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